J. Bernard Calloway, Morocco Omari, and John Scurti to Lead Billy Porter Directed THE PURISTS

Huntington Theatre Company announced today the cast and creative team for the world premiere production of The Purists. Written by new voice Dan McCabe and directed by the recently Emmy Award-nominated, Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots, "Pose" on FX), The Purists will begin performances at the South End/Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont St., Boston) on Friday, August 30, 2019 and will run through Sunday, September 29, 2019. The press opening will beWednesday, September 11. Tickets are now on sale to the general public and can be purchased by visiting huntingtontheatre.org.

A thrilling world premiere, The Purists brings Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter (director of Topdog/Underdog and The Colored Museum at the Huntington) back to the Huntington to direct this soaring new play by Dan McCabe. A former rapper, a DJ, and a showtunes-loving telesales director have become an unlikely group who hang out and spar about music on a stoop in Queens. But, when an impromptu rap battle erupts between two younger female emcees, everything gets questioned. With raw emotion and uproarious humor, The Purists asks, what is friendship? How can we embrace new ideas? And what does it mean to be wholly yourself?

Broadway's J. Bernard Calloway (Tony Award-winning Memphis and All the Way with Bryan Cranston) makes his Huntington Theatre Company debut as "Mr. Bugz," a popular New York City radio personality and DJ with a complicated past. Also making his Huntington debut, Morocco Omari (FOX's "Empire," Showtime's "Homeland") has been cast as "Lamont," an MC just beyond his glory days. Rounding out this dubious trio is recent SAG Award winner John Scurti (Amazon's "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," FX's "Rescue Me") as the showtune-loving, theatre telesales director "Gerry," making not only his Huntington Theatre Company debut, but also his professional stage debut. This September, Scurti can be seen in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman on Netflix which will debut at this year's New York Film Festival, and Bad Education with Hugh Jackman which will debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Also joining the cast is Izzie Steele(Atlantic Theater Company's Cloud Nine, BBC's "Dirk Gentley's Holistic Detective Agency") as "Nancy" and Analisa Velez (Atlantic Theater Company's Tell Hector I Miss Him) as "Val."

The creative team includes Tony Award-winning scenic designer Clint Ramos (Once on This Island, Six Degrees of Separation with Allison Janney, and Sunday in the Park with George with Jake Gyllenhaal on Broadway) and sound design by internationally acclaimed Tony Award-winning designer Leon Rothenberg (The Nance, Hillary and Clinton, The Waverly Gallery, The Boys in the Band on Broadway) whose Huntington credits includeChoice and Topdog/Underdog.

The Purists will also include costume design by award-winning designer Kara Harmon(The Niceties and A Guide for the Homesick at the Huntington) and lighting design byDriscoll Otto (The Colored Museum and Topdog/Underdog at the Huntington). Music is by Michael "Lofey" Sandlofer who in addition to producing and arranging Billy Porter's 2017 album Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers, has written music for hip hop artists Foxy Brown, Memphis Bleek, Scarface, and others. The stage manager is Kevin Schlagle, and the assistant stage manager is Sam Layco.

"The Purists will mark our third collaboration with my friend Billy Porter, who brings as much intelligence, verve, and point of view to direction as he does to all his work," says Huntington Artistic Director Peter DuBois. "I am thrilled that he will team with playwright Dan McCabe, who performed as an actor in my production of Sons of the Prophet, and is now making his professional debut as a writer. Dan has a unique, brilliant ear for comedy, and has created a cast of characters who you will want to get to know."

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

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